This is a challenge question for all MVPs. Bonus points awarded fo

[Guest]

I have been trying to get information on a new Outlook 2003 option. The
option is: “Display Presence Status in the From fieldâ€. It can be found in
the Outlook Options under the Other tab at the bottom of the page. This
option will read “Display Messenger Status in the From field†on pre SP2
Outlook 2003 systems. SP2 changes the wording. I have tried to Google the
exact wording of the option in hopes of finding info on it, but nothing comes
up. I have also tried the MS knowledge Base and several “All of Microsoftâ€
searches. But again nothing shows up. This in itself is very disturbing as
there is NO excuse for Microsoft not to have a link to very detailed and
explicit information about EVERY option available in EVERY product they sell,
all easily findable via a “Search all of Microsoft†option. This is
especially true when it involves changes caused by one of their required/very
strongly recommended security patches. I have tried to get info/help form MS
tech support via e-mail, but that is like pulling teeth from a baby. They
don’t have any ! The best I could get out of MS support was “go to our pay
per problem supportâ€. The organization I work for has over 5000 computers
running their OS and Office products and has spent Millions of dollars with
them. But they feel they just have to have more money to even provide basic
info on options created/changed by their security updates. Such greed !!!!
None the less, I have been able to determine that if you can get the option
to stay selected along with the “Enable the Person Names Smart Tag†option a
dot will appear next to a senders name in the “from†section of an e-mail.
This dot can be clicked on to gain info including availability of the
individual for scheduling. This info can be accessed by right clicking on the
name but it is easier to access if the dot/button is present. My boss wants
this option ! Her secretary was recently upgraded from Office XP to 2003 SP2.
This option when selected STAYS selected for her. But for all the other
systems that were installed as 2003 directly then the option is selectable
(Not grayed out) but will not stay selected. If it is selected and Apply is
clicked and then OK, after exiting and restarting Outlook the option will
show as NOT selected. I need to find out why this is happening. I would like
to find out all there is to know about this option and what all it can do and
what controls its ability to be selectable etc. Who can tell me about it? It
seems the manufacturer of the product can’t or won’t provide this info. Can
any of the MVPs out there help me? Any other comments on this and Microsoft’s
un-willingness to help and lack of common sense searching capabilities etc
are also welcome.

Thanks for all your help,

Ralph Malph

 

[Noel All]

If the user isn't using Instant Messenger then the option doesn't stay
selected, if the user is using Instant Messenger and the option is selected
then it will provide status information for the address in the From where
appropriate.

 

[Guest]

Noel All,

Thank you for your quick reply. You are correct ! You win the bonus points
!!!

It is a dirty shame that Microsoft Support could not have told me this when
I asked them. And that this is WELL documented in knowledge base and TechNet.
I had posted this question earlier in here but I guess you had missed it.
Thanks again for solving the mystery. It figures that I would have to use
such a disgusting obnoxious in the way useless feature such as MS Messenger
in order to use what is other wise a useful option. I vote that Microsoft
remove ALL integration with Messenger, and let become a stand alone use only
if you want to program where absolutely NO other options or programs depend
on it. This program is NOT and never will be used here. It is a waist of
resources, and AOL, ICQ have the decency not to integrate themselves with the
rest of my programs leaving the user to have it running ONLY when they want
to use it for communicating. The LAST thing we need around here is a bunch of
the employees instant messaging all their friends and family instead of
working ! Duh, what was Microsoft thinking !

Again thanks for the help. I'll post my comments on Messenger in the put it
to a vote area.

Ralph Malph